Dog fight at PetSmart leaves beagle dead

SAGINAW COUNTY, Mich. — Authorities are investigating a dog fight at a local PetSmart that left a beagle dead.

It happened just before 2 p.m. July 3 at the PetSmart on Tittabawassee Road in Saginaw Township.

Saginaw Township Police Chief Don Pussehl said a woman with a pit bull was walking out of the store after the dog received grooming. At the same time, an owner and a beagle were walking into the store.

The two dogs had a violent confrontation, Pussehl said. The owner of the pit bull suffered bite wounds to the hand while trying to break the dogs apart. The other owner was not injured.

The beagle was taken to the in-store veterinary clinic where it had to be put down due to its injuries, according to police.

Pussehl said a groomer at the store told investigators the pit bull had “old fighting injuries” around its face.

“It does show there was a previous incident. But we don’t have any factual information to show was it a wild animal that attacked the dog or was it another dog that attacked the pit bull,” Pussehl said.